whosoeuer doth not this shall seeme to haue reproched and done villanye to the image of god For what honour of God is this to runne to images of stocke and stone and to honour vayne and dead figures of God and to despise man in whom is the true image of God And by and by after he sayth Understande ye therefore that this is the suggestion of the serpent satan lurkyng within you whiche perswadeth you that you are godlye when you honour insensible dead images and that you be not vngodly when you hurt or leaue vnsuccoured the lyuely and reasonable creatures All these be the wordes of Clemens Note I pray you howe this most auncient and learned doctour within one hundred yeres of our sauiour Christes tyme moste playnely teacheth that no seruice of God or religion acceptable to him can be in honouryng of dead images but in succouring of the poore the liuely images of God according to saint James who sayth This is the pure and true religion before God the father to succour fatherlesse and motherlesse chyldren and wyddowes in theyr affliction and to hepe hym selfe vndefyled from this worlde True religion then and pleasing of god standeth not in makyng settyng vp payntyng gylding clothing decking of dumbe and dead images which be but great puppettes and mawmettes for old fooles in dotage and wicked idolatrie to dally and play with nor in kyssyng of them cappyng kneelyng offeryng to them in sensyng of thē setting vp of candels hanging vp of legges armes or whole bodies of waxe before them or praying askyng of them or of saintes thynges belongyng onlye to God to geue But al these thynges be vayne and abominable and moste damnable before god Wherefore all suche do not only bestowe theyr money and labour in vayne but with theyr paynes and coste purchase to them selues gods wrath vtter indignation and euerlasting damnation both of bodye and soule For ye haue hearde it euidently proued in these Homilees against idolatrie by Gods word the doctours of the Churche ecclesiasticall histories reason and experience that images haue ben and be worshypped and so idolatrie committed to them by infinite multitudes to the great offence of Gods maiestie and daunger of infinite soules and that idolatrie can not possiblye be separated from images set vp in Churches and Temples gylded and decked gorgeouslye and that therfore our images be in deede verye idols and so all the prohibitions lawes curses threatnynges of horrible plagues as well temporall as eternall conteyned in the holy scripture concerning idols and the makers mainteyners and worshyppers of them apparteyne also to our images set vp in Churches and Temples to the makers maynteyners and worshyppers of them And all those names of abomination which Gods word in the holy scriptures geueth to the idols of the Gentiles apparteyne to our images beyng idolles like to them and hauyng lyke idolatrie committed vnto them And Gods owne mouth in the holye scriptures calleth them vanities lyes deceyptes vncleanlynesse fylthynesse dounge mischeefe and abomination before the Lorde Wherefore Gods horrible wrath and our moste dreadfull daunger can not be auoyded without the destruction and vtter abolishing of all suche images and idols out of the Churche and Temple of God whiche to accomplyshe GOD put in the myndes of all Christian princes And in the meane tyme let vs take heede and be wyse O ye beloued of the Lord and let vs haue no straunge gods but one only god who made vs when we were nothing the father of our Lord Jesus Christe who redeemed vs when we were lost and with his holye spirite who doth sanctifie vs For this is lyfe euerlastyng to knowe hym to be the onlye true God and Jesus Christe whom he hath sent Let vs honour and worship for religions sake none but him and hym let vs worshyp and honour as he will him selfe and hath declared by his word that he wil be honoured and worshipped not in nor by images or idolles whiche he hath moste strayghtly forbidden neyther in kneelyng lyghtyng of candels burnyng of incense offeryng vp of gyftes vnto images idols to beleue that we shall please hym for all these be abomination before God but let vs honour and worshyp god in spirite and trueth fearyng and louing hym aboue all thynges trustyng in hym onlye callyng vppon hym and praying to hym only praysyng and laudyng of hym onlye and all other in hym and for hym For suche worshyppers doth our heauenly father loue who is the most purest spirite and therefore wyll be worshypped in spirite and trueth And suche worshyppers were Abraham Moyses Dauid Helias Peter Paul John and all other the holye patriarkes prophetes apostles martyrs and all true saintes of God who all as the true friendes of God were enemies and destroyers of images and idols as the enemies of God and his true religion Wherefore take heede and be wyse O ye beloued of the Lorde and that whiche others contrarie to gods worde bestowe wickedly and to their damnation vpon dead stockes stones no images but enemies of god and his saintes that bestowe ye as the faithfull seruauntes of God according to Gods worde mercifully vpon poore men and women fatherlesse children wydowes sicke persons straungers prisoners and such others that be in any necessitie that ye may at that great daye of the Lorde heare that most blessed and comfortable saying of our Sauiour Christ Come ye blessed into the kingdome of my father prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde For I was hungrye and ye gaue me meate thirstie and ye gaue me drinke naked ye clothed me harbourlesse and ye lodged me in prison and ye visited me sicke ye comforted me For whatsoeuer ye haue done for the poore and needie in my name for my sake that haue ye done for me To the which his heauenly kingdome God the father of mercies bring vs for Jesus Christes sake our onelye sauiour mediatour and aduocate to whom with the holy ghost one immortall inuisible and most glorious God be all honour and thankesgeuing and glorie world without end Amen ⧠An Homilee for repairing and keping cleane and comelye adourning of Churches IT is a cōmon custome vsed of all mē when they intend to haue their freendes or neighbours to com to their houses to eate or drink with them or to haue anye solempne assembly to treate talke of anye matter they will haue their houses which they kepe in continuall reparations to be cleane and fine lest they should be counted sluttish or litle to regard their frendes and neighbours How much more then ought the house of God whiche we commonlye call the Church to be sufficiently repaired in all places and to be honorably adourned and garnished and to be kept cleane and sweete to the comfort of the people that shall resort thereto It appeareth in the holy scripture how Gods house which was called his holy temple and was the mother Churche of all
of Gibeon makyng his humble petition to almyghtie God caused the sunne and the moone to stay their course and to stand still in the middest of heauen for the space of a whole day vntyll suche tyme the people were sufficiently auenged vpon their enemies And was not Iehosaphates prayer of great force and strength when God at his request caused his enemies to fall out among them selues and wylfully to destroy one another Who can maruayle enough at the effecte and vertue of Elias prayer He being a man subiect to affections as we are prayed to the Lorde that it myght not rayne and there fell no rayne vpon the earth for the space of three yeres and. vi moneths Againe he prayed that it myght rayne and there fell great plentie so that the earth brought forth her encrease most aboundauntly It were to long to tell of Iudith Hester Susanna and of diuers other godly men and women how greatly they preuayled in all their doinges by geuing their myndes earnestly and deuoutly to prayer Let it be sufficient at this tyme to conclude with the sayinges of Augustine and Chrisostome wherof the one calleth prayer the key of heauen the other playnely affyrmeth that there is nothyng in all the worlde more strong then a man that geueth hym selfe to feruent prayer Nowe then dearely beloued seeing prayer is so needeful a thyng and of so great strength before God let vs accordyng as we are taught by the example of Christe and his apostles be earnest and diligent in calling on the name of the lord Let vs neuer faynt neuer slacke neuer geue ouer but let vs daily and hourely early and late in season and out of season be occupyed in godly meditations and prayers What if we obtayne not our petitions at the firste yet let vs not be discoraged but let vs continually crye and call vpon God He wyll surely heare vs at length if for no other cause yet for very importunities sake Remember the parable of the vnryghteous iudge and the poore wydowe how she by her importunate meanes caused hym to do her iustice agaynst her aduersarie although otherwyse he feared neyther God nor man Shall not God muche more auenge his elect sayth our sauiour Christe whiche crye vnto hym day and nyght Thus he taught his disciples in them all other true Christian men to pray alwayes and neuer to faint or shrinke Remember also the example of the woman of Canaan how she was reiected of Christe and called dogge as one moste vnworthie of any benefite at his handes yet she gaue not ouer but folowed hym still crying and callyng vppon hym to be good and mercifull vnto her daughter And at length by very importunitie she obtayned her request O let vs learne by these examples to be earnest and feruent in prayer assuryng our selues that whatsoeuer we aske of God the father in the name of his sonne Christe and accordyng to his wyll he wyll vndoubtedly graunt it He is trueth it selfe and as truely as he hath promised it so truely wyll he perfourme it God for his great mercies sake so worke in our heartes by his holy spirite that we may alwayes make our humble prayers vnto hym as we ought to do and alwayes obtayne the thyng which we aske through Jesus Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glory worlde without ende Amen The second part of the Homilee concernyng prayer IN the firste parte of this sermon ye hearde the great necessitie also the great force of deuout and earnest praier declared proued vnto you both by diuers waightie testimonies and also by sundry good examples of holy scripture Now shal you learne whom you ought to call vppon and to whom ye ought alwayes to direct your prayers We are euidently taught in Gods holy Testament that almightie God is the only fountayne and welspring of al goodnes and that whatsoeuer we haue in this world we receaue it only at his handes To this effecte serueth the place of S. James Euery good and perfect gift sayth he commeth from aboue and proceedeth from the father of lyghtes To this effect also serueth the testimonie of Paul in diuers places of his Epistles witnessing that the spirite of wisedome the spirite of knowledge and reuelation yea euery good and heauenly gyfte as fayth hope charitie grace and peace commeth onely and solely of god In consideration whereof he bursteth out into a sodayne passion and sayeth O man what thyng hast thou whiche thou hast not receaued Therefore whensoeuer we neede or lacke any thyng parteyning eyther to the body or to the soule it behoueth vs to runne onely vnto GOD who is the onely geuer of all good thynges Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teachyng his disciples how they shoulde pray sendeth them to the father in his name saying Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you And in an other place when ye pray pray after this sorte Our father whiche art in heauen c. And doth not God hym selfe by the mouth of his Prophete Dauid wyll and commaunde vs to call vpon hym The Apostle wysheth grace and peace to all them that call on the name of our Lord and of his sonne Jesus Christ as doth also the Prophet Joel saying And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thus then it is playne by the infallible worde of trueth and lyfe that in all our necessities we must flee vnto God direct our prayers vnto hym call vppon his holy name desyre helpe at his handes and at no others Whereof if ye wyll yet haue a further reason marke that whiche foloweth There are certayne conditions most requisit to be founde in euery suche a one that muste be called vppon whiche if they be not founde in hym vnto whom we pray then doth our prayer auayle vs nothyng but is altogether in vayne The first is this that he to whom we make our prayers be able to helpe vs The second is that he wyll helpe vs The thirde is that he be suche a one as may heare our prayers The fourth is that he vnderstand better then we our selues what we lacke and howe farre we haue neede of helpe If these thynges be to be founde in any other sauing onely God then may we lawfully call vpon some other besides god But what man is so grosse but he wel vnderstandeth that these thynges are only proper to him which is omnipotent and knoweth al thyngs euen the very secretes of the heart that is to say only and to God alone whereof it foloweth that we must call neyther vpon angell nor yet vpon saint but only and soly vpon God as S. Paul doth write Now shall men call vppon hym in whom they haue not beleued So that inuocation or prayer may not be
the same that they choose continually to abyde and dwell in sinne The thyrde sorte he calleth scorners that is a sorte of men whose heartes are so stuffed with mallyce that they are not contented to dwell in sinne and to leade their lyues in all kynde of wickednesse but also they do contempne and scorne in other all godlinesse true religion all honestie and vertue Of the two first sortes of men I will not say but they may take repentaunce and be conuerted vnto god Of the third sort I thinke I may without daunger of gods iudgement pronounce that neuer anye yet conuerted vnto God by repentaunce but continued on still in their abhominable wyckednesse heaping vp to them selues damnation agaynst the day of Gods ineuitable iudgement Examples of such scorners we reade in the seconde booke of Chronicles When the good kyng Ezechias in the beginnyng of his raygne had destroyed idolatrie purged the temple and refourmed religion in his Realme he sent messengers into euerye Citie to gather the people vnto Hierusalem to solemnize the feast of Easter in such sort as God had appoynted The postes went from citie to citie through the land of Ephraim and Manasses euen vnto Zabulon And what did the people thinke ye Did they laude and prayse the name of the Lorde whiche had geuen them so good a kinge so zelous a Prince to abolish idolatrie and to restore againe Gods true religion No no. The scripture sayeth The people laughed them to scorne and mocked the kynges messengers And in the laste Chapter of the same booke it is written that almyghtie God hauing compassion vppon his people sent his messengers the Prophetes vnto them to call them from their abhominable idolatrie and wicked kinde of liuing But they mocked his messengers they dispised his wordes misused his Prophetes vntill the wrathe of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie For he gaue them vp into the hands of their enemies euen vnto Nabucodonozar kyng of Babilon who spoiled thē of their goods brent their citie and led them their wyues and their children captiues vnto Babylon The wicked people that were in the dayes of Noe made but a mocke at the worde of God when Noe tolde them that God woulde take vengeaunce vppon them for their sinnes The fludde therefore came sodainely vpon them and drowned them with the whole worlde Lot preached to the Sodomites that except they repented both they and their Citie shoulde be destroyed They thought his sayings impossible to be true they scorned and mocked his admonition and reputed him as an olde doting foole But when God by his holy angels had taken Lot his wyfe and two daughters from among them he raigned downe fyre and brymstone from heauen and brent vp those scorners and mockers of his holye worde And what estimation had Christes doctrine among the Scribes and Pharisees What rewarde had he among them The Gospell reporteth thus The Pharisees whiche were couetous did scorne him in his doctrine O then ye see that worldly riche men scorne the doctrine of their saluation The worldly wyse men scorne the doctrine of Christe as foolishenesse to their vnderstanding These scorners haue euer ben and euer shal be to the worldes ende For Saint Peter prophesied that suche scorners shoulde be in the worlde before the latter daye Take heede therefore my brethren take heede be ye not scorners of Gods most holy worde prouoke him not to powre out his wrath now vpon you as he did then vppon those gybers and mockers Be not wilfull murderers of your owne soules Turne vnto God whyle there is yet tyme of mercye ye shall els repent it in the worlde to come when it shal be to late for there shall be iudgement without mercy This might suffise to admonishe vs and cause vs henceforth to reuerence Gods holy scriptures but all men haue not faith This therfore shal not satisfy and content al mens mindes but as some are carnal so they will stil continue abuse the scriptures carnally to their greater dampnation The vnlearned and vnstable saith saint Peter paruerte the holy scriptures to their owne destruction Jesus Christ as saint Paul sayth is to the Jewes an offence to the Gentiles foolishnesse But to Gods children as wel of the Jewes as of the Gentiles he is the power and wisdome of god The holy man Simeon sayeth that he is set foorth for the fall and rysing againe of many in Israel As Christe Jesus is a fall to the reprobate which yet perishe through their owne default So is his worde yea the whole booke of God a cause of dampnation vnto them through their incredulitie And as he is a rysing vp to none other then those whiche are Gods children by adoption So is his worde yea the whole scripture the power of God to saluation to them onelye that do beleue it Christe him selfe the Prophetes before him the apostles after him all the true ministers of Gods holye worde yea euery worde in Gods booke is vnto the reprobate the sauour of death vnto death Christ Jesus the prophetes the apostles and all the true ministers of his worde yea euery iot and title in the holy scripture haue ben is and shal be for euermore the sauour of lyfe vnto eternall lyfe vnto all those whose heartes God hath purified by true fayth Let vs earnestlye take heede that we make no iesting stocke of the bookes of holy scriptures The more obscure and darke the sayinges be to our vnderstanding the further let vs thinke our selues to be from God and his holye spirite who was the aucthour of them Let vs with more reuerence endeuour our selues to searche out the wisdome hidden in the outwarde barke of the scripture If we can not vnderstand the sense and the reason of the saying yet let vs not be scorners iesters and deryders for that is the vttermost token and shewe of a reprobate of a playne enemie to God and his wysdome They be not ydle fables to iest at whiche God doth seriouslye pronounce and for serious matters let vs esteeme them And though in sundrye places of the scriptures be set out diuers rites and ceremonies oblations sacrifices let vs not thynke straunge of them but referre them to the tymes and people for whom they serued although yet to learned men they be not vnprofitable to be cōsydered but to be expounded as figures and shadowes of thinges and persons afterwarde openlye reuealed in the new Testament Though the rehearsall of the genealogies petegrees of the fathers be not to much edification of the playne ignoraunt people yet is there nothyng so impartinently vttered in all the whole booke of the Byble but may serue to spirituall purpose in some respecte to all suche as will bestowe theyr labours to searche out the meanynges These may not be condemned because they serue not to our vnderstandyng nor make not to our edification But let vs turne our labour to
the Lorde Which one benefite among all other is so great wonderfull that neyther tongue can well expresse it neither heart thinke it much lesse geue sufficient thankes to god for it But here is a great controuersie betwene vs and the Jewes whether the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie be the true Messias and true sauiour of the worlde so long promised prophesied of before They as they are and haue ben alwayes proude stiffe necked woulde neuer acknowledge hym vntil this day but haue loked and gaped for another to come They haue this fond imagination in their heades that Messias shall come not as Christ did like a poore pilgrime and simple soule rydyng vppon an Asse But lyke a baliaunt and mightie king in great royaltie honour Not as Christ did with a fewe fishermen and men of small estimation in the world but with a great armie of strong men with a great traine of wyse noble mē as knightes Lords Earles Dukes Princes so foorth Neither do they thinke that their Messias shal slaunderously suffer death as Christ dyd but that he shall stoutly conquer and manfully subdue al his enemies and finallie obtayne such a kingdome on earth as neuer was seene from the beginning While they faigne vnto them selues after this sort a Messias of theyr owne brayne they deceaue them selues and accompt Christe as an abiect foole of the worlde Therefore Christ crucified as saint Paul sayth is vnto the Jewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles foolishnes because they thinke it an absurde thing and contrary to all reason that a redemer and sauiour of the whole world should be handled after suche a sort as he was namelye scorned reuiled scourged condempned and last of al cruelly hanged This I say seemed in their eyes straunge and most absurde and therefore neyther they would at that tyme neyther wyll they as yet acknowledge Christe to be theyr Messias and sauiour But we dearely beloued that hope loke to be saued must both stedfastly beleue and also boldly confesse that the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie was the true Messias and mediatour betweene God and man promised and prophecied of so long before For as the Apostle writeth With the heart man beleueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatiō Againe in the same place Whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall neuer be ashamed nor confounded Wherto agreeth also the testimonie of saint John written in the fourth Chapter of his first generall Epistle on this wyse Whosoeuer confesseth that Jesus is the sonne of God he dwelleth in God and God in hym There is no doubt but in this poynt all Christian men are fully and perfectly perswaded Yet shal it not be a lost labour to instruct and furnish you with a fewe places concerning this matter that ye maye be able to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all them that moste Jewishely or rather diuelishly shall at any time go about to teache or maintaine the contrary First ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the angel Gabriel declared aswel to Zacharie the high priest as also to the blessed virgin Secondly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of John the Baptist poynting vnto Christe and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Thirdly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of God the father who thundred from heauen and sayde This is my dearelye beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Fourthly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the holye ghost whiche came downe frō heauen in maner of a white doue and lighted vpon him in time of his baptisme To these myght be added a great number more namely the witnesse testimonie of the wise men that came to Herode the witnes and testimonie of Simeon and Anna the witnesse and testimonie of Andrew and Philip Nathanael and Peter Nicodemus and Martha with diuers other But it were to long to repeate all and a fewe places are sufficient in so plaine a matter specially among them that are alredye perswaded Therfore if the priuie impes of amechriste and craftie instrumentes of the deuil shal attempt or go about to withdrawe you frō this true Messias and perswade you to loke for another that is not yet come let thē not in any case seduce you but cōfirme your selues with these such other testimonies of holy scripture whiche are so sure certaine that all the deuils in hell shal neuer be able to withstand them For as truelye as God liueth so truelye was Jesus Christe the true messias and sauiour of the worlde euen the same Jesus which as this day was borne of the virgin Marie without all helpe of man only by the power and operation of the holy ghost Concerning whose nature and substaunce because diuers sundry heresies are rysen in these our dayes through the motion and suggestion of Satan therefore it shal be needefull profitable for your instruction to speake a worde or two also of this parte We are euidently taught in the scripture that our Lord and sauiour Christ consisteth of two seuerall natures of his manhood being thereby perfect man and of his Godhead being thereby perfect god It is written The worde that is to say the seconde person in Trinitie became fleshe GOD sendyng his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe fulfilled those thinges which the lawe coulde not Christ being in fourme of God toke on him the fourme of a seruaunt was made like vnto man beyng founde in shape as a man GOD was shewed in fleshe iustified in spirite seene of angels preached to the Gentiles beleued on in the world and receaued vp in glorye Also in another place There is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe These be plaine places for the profe and declaration of both natures vnited and knitte together in one Christe Let vs diligently consyder and waygh the workes that he dyd whiles he lyued on earth and we shall thereby also perceaue the selfe same thing to be most true In that he did hunger and thirst eate and drinke sleepe and wake in that he preached his Gospell to the people in that he wept and sorowed for Hierusalem in that he payde tribute for him selfe and Peter in that he dyed and suffered death what other thing dyd he els declare but onlye this that he was perfect man as we are For whiche cause he is called in holye scripture sometyme the sonne of Dauid sometime the sonne of man sometime the sonne of Marie sometime the sonne of Joseph and so foorthe Nowe in that he forgaue sinnes in that he wrought myracles in that he dyd cast out deuils in that he healed men with his only worde in that he knewe the thoughtes of mens heartes in that he had the seas at his cōmaundement in that he walked on the water in that
of good reason with all true Christians to be of most wayght and estimation It is written of all the foure Euangelistes as a notable acte and worthy to be testified by many holy witnesses how that our sauiour Jesus Christe that mercifull and mylde Lorde cōpared for his meekenesse to a sheepe suffring with scilence his fleece to be shorne from him and to a lambe led without resistaunce to the slaughter whiche gaue his body to them that dyd smyte hym aunswered not hym that reuiled nor turned away his face from them that dyd reproche hym and spit vpon him and accordyng to his owne example gaue preceptes of mildnes and sufferaunce to his disciples Yet when he seeth the temple and holy house of his heauenly father misordred polluted and prophaned vseth great seueritie and sharpenes ouerturneth the tables of thexchaungers subuerteth the seates of them that solde doues maketh a whip of cordes and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and prophaners of the temple of God saying My house shal be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theeues And in the. ii of John Do not ye make the house of my father the house of marchaundize For as it is the house of GOD when Gods seruice is duely done in it So whē we wickedly abuse it with wicked talke or couetous bargayning we make it a den of theeues or an house of marchaundize Yea and suche reuerence woulde Christe shoulde be therein that he woulde not suffer any vessell to be caryed through the temple And where as our saniour Christe as is before mentioned out of S. Luke coulde be founde no where when he was sought but only in the temple amongst the doctours and nowe agayne exerciseth his aucthoritie and iurisdiction not in castles and princely palaces amongst souldiers but in the temple Ye may hereby vnderstande in what place his spirituall kyngdome whiche he denyeth to be of this worlde is sonest to be founde and best to be knowen of all places in this worlde And accordyng to this example of our sauiour Christe in the primitiue Churche which was most holy godly and in the which due discipline with seueritie was vsed agaynst the wicked opē offenders were not suffered once to enter into the house of the Lorde nor admitted to common prayer and the vse of the holye Sacramentes with other true Christians vntil they had done open penaunce before the whole Churche And this was practised not only vpon meane persons but also vpon the ryche noble and mightie persons yea vpon Theodosius that puissaunt and mightie Emperour whom for cōmittyng a greeuous and wylfull murther S. Ambrose Byshop of Millayne reproued sharply and did also excommunicate the said Emperour and brought hym to open penaunce And they that were so iustly exempted and banished as it were from the house of the Lorde were taken as they be in deede for men diuided and separated from Christes Churche and in most daungerous estate yea as S. Paul sayeth euen geuen vnto Satan the deuyll for a tyme and theyr company was shunned and auoyded of all godly men and women vntyll suche tyme as they by repentaunce and publique penaunce were reconciled Suche was the honour of the Lordes house in mens heartes and outwarde reuerence also at that tyme and so horrible a thing was it to be shut out of the Churche and house of the Lorde in those dayes when religion was most pure and nothyng so corrupt as it hath ben of late dayes And yet we wyllyngly eyther by absentyng our selues from the house of the Lorde do as it were excommunicate our selues from the Churche and felowshyp of the Saintes of God orels comming thyther by vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour there by hastie rashe yea vncleane and wicked thoughtes and wordes before the Lorde our God horribly dishonour his holy house the Churche of GOD and his holy name and maiestie to the great daunger of our soules yea and certayne damnation also yf we do not spedily and earnestly repent vs of this wickednesse Thus ye haue hearde dearely beloued out of Gods worde what reuerence is due to the holye house of the Lorde how all godly persons ought with diligence at times appoynted thither to repayre howe they ought to behaue them selues there with reuerence and dread before the Lord what plagues and punyshementes as well temporall as eternall the Lorde in his holy worde threatneth aswell to suche as neglect to come to his holy house as also to suche who commyng thither do vnreuerently by iesture or talke there behaue them selues Wherefore if we desyre to haue seasonable weather and thereby to enioye the good fruites of the earth yf we wyll auoyde drought and barrennesse thirste and hunger whiche are plagues threatned vnto suche as make haste to go to their owne houses to alehouses and to tauernes and leaue the house of the Lorde emptie and desolate yf we abhorre to be scourged not with whyppes made of cordes out of the materiall temple only as our sauiour Christe serued the defilers of the house of God in Hierusalem but also to be beaten and dryuen out of the eternall temple and house of the Lorde which is his heauenly kingdome with the iron rodde of euerlastyng damnation and caste into outter darkenes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth if we feare dread and abhorre this I say as we haue most iust cause to do then let vs amende this our negligence and contempt in comming to the house of the Lorde this our vnreuerent behauiour in the house of the Lorde and resortyng thither diligently together let vs there with reuerent hearyng of the Lordes holy worde calling on the Lordes holy name geuing of heartie thankes vnto the Lorde for his manyfolde and inestimable benefites daily and hourly bestowed vpon vs celebrating also reuerently of the Lordes holy Sacramentes serue the Lorde in his holy house as becommeth the seruauntes of the Lorde in holines and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our lyfe and then we shal be assured after this lyfe to rest in his holy hyll and to dwell in his tabernacle there to prayse and magnifie his holy name in the congregation of his saintes in the holy house of his eternal kingdome of heauen which he hath purchased for vs by the death and sheddyng of the pretious blood of his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost one immortal maiestie of GOD be all honour glorie prayse and thankesgeuyng worlde without ende Amen An Homilie against perill of idolatrie and superfluous decking of Churches The first part IN what poyntes the true ornamentes of the Church or temple of GOD do consiste and stand hath ben declared in the two last Homilies intreating of the right vse of the temple or house of god of the due reuerence that all true Christian people are bound to geue vnto the same The summe wherof is that the Churche or
we be so myndful of our common base houses deputed to so lowe occupying And be forgetfull toward that house of God wherin be ministred the wordes of our eternall saluation wherein be intreated the Sacramentes and mysteries of our redemption The fountaine of our regeneration is there presented to vs the partaking of the body and blood of our Sauiour Christe is there offered vnto vs And shal we not esteeme the place where so heauenly thinges be handled Wherefore if ye haue any reuerence to the seruice of God if ye haue any common honestie if ye haue any conscience in keeping of necessary and godly ordinaunces kepe your churches in good repayre wherby ye shal not onely please God and deserue his manifolde blessinges but also deserue the good report of all godly people The seconde poynt whiche apparteyneth to the mayntenaunce of Gods house is to haue it well adourned comely cleane kept Whiche thinges maye be the more easylye perfourmed when the Churche is well repayred For lyke as men are wel refreshed and comforted when they fynde their houses hauing all thinges in good order and all corners cleane and sweete So when Gods house the Churche is well adourned with places conuenient to sit in with the pulpit for the preacher with the Lordes table for the ministration of his holy supper with the Fonte to Christen in and also is kept cleane comely and sweetely the people is the more desyrous and the more comforted to resort thyther and to tarrye there the whole tyme appoynted them With what earnestnesse with what vehement zeale did our Sauiour Christ driue the byers and sellers out of the temple of God and hurled downe the tables of the chaungers of mony and the seates of the doue sellers and could not abyde that any man should cary a vessel through the temple He tolde them that they had made his fathers house a denne of theeues partelye through their superstition hypocrisie false worship false doctrine and insatiable couetousnes and partly through contempt abusing that place with walking and talking with worldly matters without all feare of God and due reuerence to that place What dennes of theeues the Churches of Englande haue ben made by the blasphemous bying and selling the moste precious body and blood of Christe in the Masse as the worlde was made to beleue at Diriges at monthes myndes in trentalles in abbeyes and chauntries beside other horrible abuses Gods holy name be blessed for euer we no we see and vnderstande All these abominations they that supplie the roome of Christe haue cleansed and purged the Churches of Englande of takyng awaye all suche fulsumnesse and filthynesse as through blynde deuotion and ignoraunce hath crept into the Churche this manye hundred yeres Wherefore O ye good Christian people ye dearelye beloued in Christ Jesu ye that glory not in worldly and vaine religion in phantasticall adourning and decking but reioyce in heart to see the glory of God truelye set foorth and the Churches restored to their auncient and godly vse render your most harty thankes to the goodnesse of almightie God who hath in our dayes styrred vp the hearts not onely of his godly preachers and ministers but also of his faythfull and most Christian magistrates and gouernours to bring suche godly thinges to passe And forasmuche as your Churches are scoured and swept from the sinnefull and superstitious fylthynesse wherewith they were defiled and disfigured Do ye your partes good people to kepe your Churches comely and cleane suffer them not to be defyled with rayne and weather with dounge of doues and owles stares choughes and other filthinesse as it is soule and lamentable to beholde in many places of this countrey It is the house of prayer not the house of talking of walking of â—rawling of minstrelsie of hawkes of dogges Prouoke not the displeasure and plagues of God for despysing and abusing his holy house as the wicked Jewes did But haue God in your hart be obedient to his blessed wil bynde your selues euery man and woman to their power towarde the reparations and cleane keeping of your Church to the entent ye may be partakers of Gods manifolde blessings and that ye may be the better encouraged to resort to your parish churche there to learne your duties toward God and your neighbour there to be present and partakers of Christes holye sacramentes there to render thankes to your heauenly father for the manifolde benefites whiche he dayly powreth vppon you there to pray together and to call vppon Gods holye name whiche be blessed worlde without ende ⧠An Homilee of good workes And first of Fasting THE lyfe whiche we liue in this worlde good Christian people is of the free benefite of God lent vs yet not to vse it at our pleasure after our own fleshly wil but to trade ouer the same in those workes which are beseeming them that are become new creatures in christ These workes the Apostle calleth good workes saying We are Gods workemanship created in Christ Jesu to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them And yet his meaning is not by these words to induce vs to haue any affiaunce or to put anye confidence in our workes as by the merite and deseruing of them to purchase to our selues and others remission of sinne so consequently euerlasting lyfe for that were mere blasphemie against Gods mercy and great derogation to the bloodshedding of our sauiour Jesus Christe For it is of the free grace mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of his sonne Jesus Christ without merite or deseruing on our part that our sinues are forgeuen vs that we are reconciled and brought agayne into his fauour and are made heyres of his heauenly kyngdome Grace sayth S. Augustine belongeth to God who doth call vs and then hath he good works whosoeuer receaued grace Good workes then bring not foorth grace but are brought foorth by grace The wheele sayeth he turneth rounde not to the ende that it maye be made rounde but because it is firste made rounde therefore it turneth round So no man doth good workes to receaue grace by his good workes but because he hath first receaued grace therefore consequentlye he doth good workes And in another place he sayth Good workes go not before in him whiche shall afterwarde be iustified but good workes do folow after when a man is first iustified Saynt Paule therefore teacheth that we must do good workes for dyuers respectes First to shewe our selues obedient children vnto our heauenly father who hath ordeyned them that we shoulde walke in them Secondly for that they are good declarations and testimonies of our iustification Thirdly that others seing our good workes may the rather by them be stirred vp and excited to glorifie our father which is in heauen Let vs not therefore be slacke to do good workes seyng it is the will of God that we should walke in them assuring
defendeth the innocencie of his disciples agaynst the malice of the arrogant Pharisees and prooueth that his disciples are not gyltie of transgressyng any iot of Gods lawe although as then they tasted not and in his aunswere reproueth the Pharisees of superstition and ignoraunce Superstition because they put a religion in theyr doyngs and ascribed holynesse to the outward worke wrought not regardyng to what ende fastyng is ordayned Of ignoraunce for that they coulde not discerne betweene tyme and tyme They knewe not that there is a tyme of reioycyng and myrth and a tyme agayne of lamentation and mournyng whiche both he teacheth in his aunswere as shal be touched more largely hereafter when we shall shewe what tyme is moste fit to fast in But here beloued let vs note that our sauiour Christe in makyng his aunswere to theyr question denyed not but confessed that his disciples fasted not and therefore agreeth to the pharisees in this as vnto a manifest trueth that who so eateth and drynketh fasteth not Fastyng then euen by Christes assent is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall foode from the body for the determined tyme of fastyng And that it was vsed in the primatiue Churche appeareth most euidently by the Chalcedon counsell one of the foure first generall counselles The fathers assembled there to the number of 630. consydering with them selues howe acceptable a thing fasting is to God when it is vsed accordyng to his worde Agayne hauing before theyr eyes also the great abuses of the same crept into the Churche at those dayes through the negligence of them whiche shoulde haue taught the people the right vse thereof and by vaine gloses deuised of men To refourme the sayde abuses and to restore this so good and godly a worke to the true vse therof decreed in that counsell that euery person aswell in his priuate as publique fast shoulde continue all the day without meate and drinke till after the Euenyng prayer And whosoeuer did eate or drinke before the Euening prayer was ended shoulde be accompted and reputed not to consyder the puritie of his fast This cannon teacheth so euidently howe fastyng was vsed in the primatiue Churche as by wordes it can not be more plainely expressed Fasting then by the decree of those sixe hundreth and thirtie fathers groundyng their determination in this matter vppon the sacred scriptures and long continued vsage or practise both of the prophetes and other godly persons before the comming of Christe and also of the apostles and other deuoute men in the newe Testament is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall fodde from the body for the determined time of fastyng Thus muche is spoken hytherto to make playne vnto you what fastyng is Nowe hereafter shal be shewed the true and ryght vse of fastyng Good workes are not all of one sorte For some are of them selues and of their owne proper nature alwayes good as to loue God aboue all thinges to loue my neighbour as my selfe to honour father and mother to honour the higher powers to geue to euery man that which is his due and suche like Other workes there be whiche consydered in themselues without further respect are of their owne nature mere indifferent that is neither good nor euill but take their denomination of the vse or ende whereunto they serue Whiche workes hauing a good ende are called good workes and are so in deede but yet that commeth not of them selues but of the good ende wherevnto they are referred On the other side if the ende that they serue vnto be euill it can not then otherwyse be but that they must needes be euill also Of this sort of workes is fasting which of it selfe is a thing meerely indifferent But is made better or worse by the ende that it serueth vnto For when it respecteth a good ende it is a good worke but the ende beyng euill the worke it selfe is also euill To fast then with this perswasion of minde that our fasting and our good workes can make vs perfect and iust men and finally bring vs to heauen this is a deuelish perswasion and that fast so farre of from pleasing god that it refuseth his mercie and is altogether derogatorie to the merites of Christes death and his pretious blood shedding This doth the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane teache Two men sayth Christe went vp together into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publicane The Pharisee stoode prayed thus within hym selfe I thanke thee O God that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers as this Publicane is I fast twise in the weeke I geue tithes of all that I possesse The Publicane stoode a farre of and woulde not lift vp his eyes to heauen but smote his brest and sayde God be mercifull to me a sinner In the person of this Pharisee our Sauiour Christ setteth out to the eye and to the iudgement of the worlde a perfect iust and righteous man suche one as is not spotted with those vices that men commonlye are infected with extortion briberie polling and pilling their neighbour robbers and spoylers of common weales craftie and subtile in chopping chaunging vsing false waightes and detestable periurie in their buying and selling fornicatours adulterers vicious liuers The Pharisee was no such man neyther faultie in any suche like notorious crime But where other transgressed by leauing thinges vndone whiche yet the lawe required this man dyd more then was requisite by lawe For he fasted twyse in the weeke and gaue tythes of all that he had What could the worlde then iustly blame in this man yea what outwarde thing more could be desired to be in him to make him a more perfect and a more iust man Truelye nothyng by mans iudgement And yet our Sauiour Christe preferreth the poore Puplicane without fasting before him with his fast The cause why he doth so is manifest For that Publicane hauing no good works at al to trust vnto yelded vp him selfe vnto God confessing his sinnes and hoped certainely to be saued by Gods free mercie only The Pharisee gloried trusted so much to his workes that he thought him selfe sure enough without mercie and that he should come to heauen by his fasting and other deedes To this ende serueth that parable For it is spoken to them that trusted in them selues that they were ryghteous and despised other Nowe because the Pharisee directed his worke to an euill ende seeking by them iustification whiche in deede is the proper worke of God without our merites his fasting twise in the weeke and all his other workes though they were neuer so many and seemed to the worlde neuer so good and holy yet in very deede before god they are altogether euil and abominable The marke also that the Hypocrites shoote at with their fast is to appeare holy in the eye of the worlde and so to winne commendation and prayse of men But our
errour of Purgatorie out of our heades neyther let vs dreame anye more that the soules of the dead are any thing at all holpen by our prayers But as the scripture teacheth vs let vs thinke that the soule of man passing out of the body goeth straightwayes eyther to heauen or els to hell whereof the one nedeth no prayer and the other is without redemption The onlye Purgatorie wherein we must trust to be saued is the death and blood of Christe which if we apprehend with a true and stedfast fayth it purgeth and clenseth vs from all our sinnes euen as well as if he were now hanging vpon the crosse The blood of Christe sayth saint John hath clensed vs from all sinne The blood of Christe sayth saint Paul hath purged our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god Also in another place he sayth We be sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Jesus Christe done once for all Yea he addeth more saying With the one oblation of his blessed body pretious blood he hath made perfect for euer and euer all them that are sanctified This then is that Purgatorie wherein all Christian men must put their whole truste and confidence nothing doubting but yf they truely repent them of their sinnes and dye in perfecte fayth that then they shall foorth with passe from death to life If this kinde of purgation wyll not serue them let them neuer hope to be releassed by other mens prayers though they shoulde continue therein vnto the worldes ende He that can not be saued by fayth in Christes blood howe shall he loke to be deliuered by mans intercessions Hath God more respect to man on earth then he hath to Christe in heauen If any man sinne sayth saint John we haue an aduocate with the father euen Jesus Christe the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes But we must take heede that we call vpon this aduocate whyle we haue space geuen vs in this life lest when we are once dead there be no hope of saluation left vnto vs For as euery man sleepeth with his owne cause so euerye man shall ryse agayne with his owne cause And looke in what state he dyeth in the same state he shal be also iudged whether it be to saluation or dampnation Let vs not therfore dreame either of purgatorie or of prayer for the soules of them that be dead but let vs earnestly diligently praye for them whiche are expresly commaunded in holye scripture namely for kinges and rulers for ministers of Gods holy worde and sacramentes for the saintes of this worlde otherwyse called the faithfull to be short for all men liuing be they neuer so great enemies to god and his people as Jewes Turkes Pagans Infidels Heretikes c. Then shall we truely fulfill the commaundement of God in that behalfe plainely declare our selues to be the true children of our heauenly father which suffreth the sunne to shine vpon the good and the bad and the rayne to fall vpon the iust and the vniust For whiche and al other benefites moste aboundauntlye bestowed vppon mankynde from the beginning let vs geue him hearty thankes as we are most bound prayse his name for euer and euer Amen ⧠An Homilee of the place and tyme of prayer GOD through his almighty power wisedome and goodnes created in the beginning heauen earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the fowles of the ayre the beastes of the earth the fishes in the sea and all other creatures for the vse commoditie of man whom also he had created to his owne image and likenesse and geuen him the vse gouernement ouer them al to the end he shoulde vse them in suche sort as he had geuen him in charge commaundement also that he should declare him selfe thankful and kynde for al those benefites so liberally so graciously bestowed vpon him vtterly without anye deseruing on his behalf And although we ought at al times in al places to haue in remēbrance to be thankful to our gracious Lord according as it is written I wil magnifie the lord at al times And agayne Wheresoeuer the lord beareth rule O my soule prayse the Lord Yet it appeareth to be Gods good wil and pleasure that we shoulde at special times and in special places gather our selues together to the intent his name might be renowmed and his glory set forth in the congregation and assembly of his saintes As concerning the tyme whiche almightie God hath appoynted his people to assemble together solemly it doth appeare by the fourth commaundement of God Remember saith God that thou kepe holye the Sabbath day Upon the which day as is playne in the actes of the Apostles the people accustomablye resorted together hearde diligently the lawe and the prophetes read among them And albeit this commaundement of God doeth not bynde christian people so straytlye to obserue and keepe the vtter ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was geuen vnto the Jewes as touching the forbearing of worke and labour in tyme of great necessitie and as touching the precise keeping of the seuenth day after the manner of the Jewes For we keepe now the first day which is our sunday and make that our sabbath that is our day of rest in the honor of our sauiour christ who as vpon that daye rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly Yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer is found in the commaundement apparteyning to the lawe of nature as a thyng most godlye moste iuste and needeful for the setting forth of Gods glorie it ought to be retayned and kept of all good Christian people And therfore by this commaundemēt we ought to haue a tyme as one day in a weeke wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawfull and nedefull workes For like as it appeareth by this commaundement that no man in the syxe dayes ought to be slouthfull or ydle but diligentlye to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Euen so God hath geuen expresse charge to all men that vpon the sabbath day which is now our sunday they should ceasse from all weaklye and workeday labour to the entent that lyke as God him selfe wrought sixe dayes and rested the seuenth and blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quyetnes and rest from labour euen so Gods obedient people shoulde vse the sundaye holyly and rest from their comon and daily businesse and also geue them selues whollye to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice So that God doth not onely commaunde the obseruation of this holy day but also by his owne example doth stirre and prouoke vs to the diligent keeping of the same Good natural children wil not onelye become obedient to the commaundemēt of their parents but also haue a diligent eye to their doings and gladly folow the same So if we wil be the children of our heauenly father we
with pouertie in the middest of plenty Then when other haue aboūdaunce and be fed at full you shall vtterly waste and consume away your selues your store shal be destroyed your goodes pluckt from you all your glory and wealth shall perishe and that whiche when you had you myght haue enioyed your selfe in peace and might haue bestowed vpon other most godly ye shal seke with sorow sighes and no where shall find it For your vnmercifulnesse towardes other ye shall finde no man that will shew mercy towardes you You that had stony heartes towardes other shal finde all the creatures of god to youward as hard as bras iron Alas what furie and madnesse doth possesse our myndes that in a matter of trueth certayntie we wyll not geue credite to the trueth testifying vnto that which is most certayne Christe sayth that if we wyl first seeke the kyngdome of God do the workes of righteousnes therof we shal not be left destitute al other thinges shal be geuen to vs plenteously Nay say we I wil first looke that I be able to lyue my selfe and be sure that I haue enough for me and mine and if I haue anything ouer I wil bestowe it to get Gods fauour the poore shal then haue part with me See I pray you the peruerse iudgement of men we haue more care to norishe the carcasse then we haue feare to see our soule perishe And as Ciprian sayth whylest we stande in doubt least our goodes fayle in being ouer liberall we put it out of doubt that our life health faileth in not being liberall at al. Whilest we are carefull for diminishing of our stocke we are altogether carelesse to diminishe our selues We loue Mammon lose our soules We feare least our patrimonie shoulde perishe from vs but we feare not lest we shoulde perishe for it Thus do we peruersly loue that we should hate and hate that we shoulde loue we be negligent where we should be careful careful wher we nede not This vaine feare to lacke our selues if we geue to the poore is muche like the feare of children fooles which when they see the bright glimmering of a glasse they do imagine straight way that it is the lightning yet the brightnes of a glasse neuer was the lightning Euen so when we imagine that by spending vppon the poore a man maye come to pouertie we are cast into a vaine fare for we neuer heard or knewe that by that meanes any man came to miserie and was left destitute and not consydered of god Nay we reade to the contrary in the scripture as I haue before shewed as by infinite testimonies and examples maye be proued that whosoeuer serueth God faithfully and vnfaignedly in any vocation god wil not suffer him to decay much lesse to perish The holy ghost teacheth vs by Salomō that the Lorde wyll not suffer the soule of the ryghteous to perishe for hunger And therefore Dauid sayth vnto all them that are merciful O feare the Lorde ye that be his saintes for they that feare hym lacke nothyng The Lions do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shal want no maner of thing that is good When Elias was in the desart god fed him by the ministerie of a Rauen that euenyng morning brought him sufficient victuals When Daniel was shut vp in the Lions denne God prepared meate for him sent it thither to him And there was the saying of Dauid fulfilled The Lions do lacke suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lorde shall want no good thing For whyle the Lions which should haue ben fed with his flesh roared for hunger desire of their pray whereof they had no power although it were present before them he in the meane tyme was freshe fed from God that should with his fleshe haue filled the Lions So mightily doth God worke to preserue mainteine those whom he loueth so carefull is he also to feede them who in anye state or vocation do vnfaignedly serue him And shal we nowe thinke that he wylbe vnmyndfull of vs yf we be obedient to his worde accordyng to his wyl haue pitie vpon the poore He geueth vs all wealth before we do any seruice for it and wyll be see vs lacke necessaries when we do hym true seruice Can a man thinke that he that feedeth Christe can be forsaken of Christe and left without foode Or wyl Christe denie earthly thinges vnto them whō he promiseth heauenly thinges for his true seruice It can not be therfore deare brethren that by geuing of almes we shoulde at any time want our selues or that we whiche relieue other mens neede shoulde ourselues be oppressed with penurie It is contrarye to Gods worde it repugneth with his promise it is agaynst Christes propertie and nature to suffer it it is the craftie surmise of the deuill to perswade vs it Wherefore sticke not to geue almes freely and trust not withstandyng that Gods goodnes wyll minister vnto vs sufficiencie and plentie so long as we shall liue in this transitorie lyfe and after our dayes here wel spent in his seruice and the loue of our brethrē we shal be crowned with euerlasting glory to raigne with Christe our sauiour in heauen to whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour glorie for euer Amen ¶ An Homilee or Sermon concernyng the Natiuitie and byrth of our Sauiour Iesus Christe AMong al the creatures that god made in the beginnyng of the worlde most excellent and wonderfull in their kynde there was none as the Scripture beareth witnesse to be compared almost in any poynt vnto manne who aswell in bodye and in soule exceeded all other no lesse then the Sunne in brightnesse and lyght exceedeth euery small litle starre in the firmament He was made accordyng to the image and similitude of GOD he was indued with all kinde of heauenly giftes he had no spot of vncleannesse in him he was sounde and perfect in al partes both outwardly and inwardly his reason was vncorrupt his vnderstandyng was pure and good his wyll was obedient and godly he was made altogether lyke vnto God in ryghteousnesse in holinesse in wysdome in trueth to be short in all kinde of perfection When he was thus created and made almightie GOD in token of his great loue towardes him chose out a speciall place of the earth for him namely Paradice where he liued in all tranquilitie and pleasure hauyng great aboundaunce of worldly goodes and lackt nothing that he myght iustly require or desyre to haue For as it is sayde God made him Lord and ruler ouer all the workes of his handes that he should haue vnder his feete all sheepe oxen all beastes of the feelde all foules of the ayre all fishes of the sea and vse them alway at his owne pleasure according as he shoulde haue nede Was not this a mirrour of perfection Was not
one that doth beleue By this then 〈…〉 wel perceaue that the only meane and instrument of saluation required of our partes is faith that is to saye a sure trust and 〈◊〉 in the mercies of God Whereby we perswade our selues that God both hath and 〈◊〉 our sinnes that he hath accepted vs againe into his sauour that he hath released vs frō the bondes of dampnation and receaued vs againe into the number of his elect people not for our merites or desartes but onlye solely for the merites of Christes death and passion who became man for our sakes and humbled him selfe to sustayne the reproche of the crosse that we thereby might be saued and made inheritours of the kingdome of heauen This fayth is required at our handes And this yf we keepe stedfastly in our heartes there is no doubt but we shall obtayne saluation at gods handes as did Abraham Isahac and Jacob of whom the scripture saith that they beleued and it was imputed vnto them for ryghteousnesse Was it imputed vnto them onlye and shall it not be imputed vnto vs also Yes yf we haue the same fayth as they had it shal be as truly imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse as it was vnto them For it is one fayth that must saue both vs and them euen a sure and stedfast fayth in Christ Jesu who as ye haue heard came into the worlde for this ende that whosoeuer beleue in him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting But here we must take heede that we do not hault with God through an vnconstant and wauering saith but that it be strong and stedfast to our liues ende He that wauereth saith saint James is lyke a waue of the sea neyther let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing at Gods handes Peter comming to Christe vpon the water because he fainted in faith was in daunger of drowning So we yf we beginne to wauer or doubt it is to be feared lest we shall sinke as Peter dyd not into the water but into the bottomlesse pit of hell fyre Therefore I saye vnto you that we must apprehende the merites of Christes death and passion by faith and that with a strong and stedfast fayth nothyng doubting but that Christe by his owne oblation and once offring of him selfe vpon the crosse hath taken away our sinnes hath restored vs agayne into Gods fauour so fully and perfectly that no other sacrifice for sinne shall hereafter be requisite or nedefull in all the worlde Thus haue ye hearde in fewe wordes the meane whereby we must applie the fruites and merites of Christes death vnto vs so that it may worke the saluatiō of our soules namely a sure stedfast perfect and grounded fayth For as all they whiche behelde stedfastly the brasen serpent were healed and deliuered at the very sight therof from their corporall diseases and bodyly stinges euen so all they which beholde Christe crucified with a true and liuely fayth shal vndoubtedly be deliuered from the greuous woundes of the soule be they neuer so deadly or many in number Therfore dearely beloued yf we chaunce at anye tyme through frailtie of the fleshe to fall into sinne as it can not be chosen but we must nedes fall often yf we feele the heauie burden thereof to presse our soules tormenting vs with the feare of death hell and dampnation let vs then vse that meane which God hath appoynted in his word to wit the meane of faith which is the only instrument of saluation nowe left vnto vs Let vs stedfastly beholde Christe crucified with the eyes of our heart Let vs only trust to be saued by his death and passion to haue our sinnes cleane wasshed away through his most precious blood that in the end of the world when he shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead he may receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome and place vs in the number of his elect and chosen people there to be partakers of that immortal and euerlasting life whiche he hath purchased vnto vs by vertue of his bloddy woundes To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glorie worlde without ende Amen An Homilee of the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus Christe For Easter day IF euer at any tyme the greatnesse or excellencie of anye matter spirituall or temporall hath stirred vp your mindes to geue diligent eare good Christian people and welbeloued in our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christe I doubt not but that I shall haue you nowe at this present season moste diligent and ready hearers of the matter whiche I haue at this tyme to open vnto you For I come to declare that great and most comfortable article of our Christian religion and fayth the resurrection of our Lorde Jesus So great surely is the matter of this article and of so great wayght and importaunce that it was thought worthie to kepe our sayde Sauiour still on earth fourtie dayes after he was rysen from death to lyfe to the confirmation and stablishment therof in the heartes of his disciples So that as Luke clearlye testifieth in the first Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles he was conuersaunt with his disciples by the space of fourtie dayes continuallye together to thintent he would in his person beyng nowe glorified teache and instruct them whiche shoulde be the teachers of other fullye and in most absolute and perfect wise the trueth of this moste Christian article whiche is the grounde and foundation of our whole religion before he would ascend vp to his father into the heauens there to receaue the glorye of his most triumphant conquest and victorie Assuredly so highly comfortable is this article to our consciences that it is euen the very locke and key of all our Christian religion and fayth If it were not true sayth the holy Apostle Paul that Christe rose agayne then our preaching were in vayne your fayth whiche you haue receaued were but voyde ye were yet in the daūger of your sinnes If Christ be not rysen againe sayth the apostle then are they in very euill case and vtterly perished that be entred their stepe in Christ then are we the most miserable of al men which haue our hope fixed in Christ if he be yet vnder the powre of death 〈…〉 not restored to his blisse againe But nowe is he rysen agayne from death sayth the Apostle Paul to be the first fruites of them that be a sleepe to thintent to raise them to euerlasting life agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is risen againe then were it neither true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe from heauen vnto vs the holy ghost nor that he sitteth on the right hand of his heauenly father hauing the rule of heauen earth raigning as the prophete sayth from sea to sea nor that he should after this worlde be the iudge aswell of the liuing
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
vnreuerentlye not discerning the Lordes bodye Ought not we then by the monition of the wise man by the wisdome of God by the fearefull example of the Corinthians to take aduised heede that we thrust not our selues to this table with rude and vnreuerent ignoraunce the smart whereof Christes Churche hath rued and lamented these many dayes and yeres For what hath ben the cause of the ruyne of Gods religion but the ignoraunce hereof What hath ben the cause of this grosse idolatrie but the ignoraunce hereof What hath ben the cause of this mummishe massyng but the ignoraunce hereof Yea what hath ben and what is at this day the cause of this want of loue and charitie but the ignoraunce hereof Let vs therfore so trauaile to vnderstand the Lordes Supper that we be no cause of the decaye of Gods worship of no idolatrie of no dumme massing of no hate and malice so maye we the boldlyer haue accesse thyther to our comfort Neyther neede we to thinke that suche exact knowledge is required of euery man that he be able to discusse al high pointes in the doctrine thereof But this muche he must be sure to hold that in the supper of the Lorde there is no vaine ceremonie no bare signe no vntrue figure of a thing absent But as the Scripture sayth the table of the Lorde the bread and cuppe of the Lorde the memorie of Christe the annuntiation of his death yea the Communion of the bodye and blood of the Lorde in a marueylous incorporation whiche by the operation of the holye ghost the verye bonde of our conâ—unction with Christe is through fayth wrought in the soules of the faythfull whereby not onlye theyr soules lyue to eternall lyfe but they surely trust to winne to their bodyes a resurrection to immortalitie The true vnderstandyng of this fruition and vnion whiche is the bodye and the head betwixt the true beleuers and Christe the auncient Catholique Fathers both perceauing them selues and commendyng to theyr people were not afrayde to call this Supper some of them the salue of immortalitie and soueraigne preseruatiue agaynst death other a deificall Communion other the sweete dainties of our Sauiour the pledge of eternall health the defence of fayth the hope of the resurrection other the foode of immortalitie the healthfull grace and the conseruatorie to euerlastyng lyfe All which sayinges both of the holy Scripture and godly men truely attributed to this celestial banquet and feaste yf we woulde often call to minde O how woulde they inflame our heartes to de 〈…〉 e the participation of these mysteries and oftentimes to couet after this breade continuallye to thirste for this foode Not as speciallye regarding the terrene earthly creatures which remayne but alwayes holdyng faste and cleauyng by faith to the rocke whence we may sucke the sweetenesse of euerlasting saluation And to be briefe thus much more the faithful see heare and knowe the fauourable mercies of God sealed the satisfaction by Christe towardes vs confirmed and the remission of sinne established Here they may feele wrought the tranquilitie of conscience the encrease of fayth the strengthning of hope the large spreadyng abrode of brotherly kindnes with many other sundry graces of god The taste whereof they can not attayne vnto who be drowned in the deepe durtie lake of blyndnesse and ignoraunce From the whiche O beloued washe your selues with the liuyng waters of Gods worde whence you maye perceaue and know both the spirituall foode of this costly supper and the happy trustinges effectes that the same doth bring with it Now it foloweth to haue with this knowledge a sure and constant faith not only that the death of Christe is auayleable for the redemption of all the world for the remission of sinnes and reconciliation with God the father but also that he hath made vppon his crosse a full and sufficient sacrifice for thee a perfect clensyng of thy sinnes so that thou acknowledgest no other Sauiour redeemer mediatour aduocate intercessour but Christe only and that thou mayst say with the Apostle that he loued thee and gaue him selfe for thee For this is to sticke fast to Christes promise made in his institution to make Christe thyne owne and to applicate his merites vnto thy selfe Herein thou nedest no other mans helpe no other sacrifice or oblation no sacrifisyng Priest no masse no meanes established by mans inuention That faith is a necessarie instrument in al these holy ceremonies we may thus assure our selues for that as Saint Paul sayth without fayth it is vnpossible to please god When a great number of the Israelites were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse Moyses Aaron and Phinees dyd eate Manna and pleased God for that they vnderstoode sayth Saint Augustine the visible meate spiritually Spiritually they hungred it spiritually they tasted it that they myght be spiritually satisfied And truely as the bodily meate can not feede the outward man vnlesse it be let into a stomake to be digested whiche is healthsome and sound No more can thy inwarde man be fed except his meate bereceaued into hisâ—oule and hart sound whole in fayth Therfore saith Ciprian when we do these thinges we nede not to whet our teethe but with sincere fayth we breake and diuide that holy bread It is wel knowen that the meate wee seeke for in this supper is spiritual foode the norishmeÌ„t of our soule a heauenly refection and not earthly an inuisible meate and not bodylye a ghostly substaunce and not carnall so that to thinke that without fayth we maye enioye the eatyng and drynkyng therof or that that is the fruition of it is â—ut to dreame a grosse carnall feeding basely obiecting and byndyng our selues to the elementes and creatures Whereas by the aduice of the counsel of Nicene we ought to lyft vp our mindes by faith leauing these inferiour and earthly thinges there seke it where the sâ—nne of ryghteousnesse euer shineth Take then this lesson O thou that art desyrous of this table of Emissenus a godly father that when thou goest vp to the reuerent Communion to be satisfied with spirituall meates thou loke vp with faith vpon the holy body and blood of thy god thou maruel with reuerence thou touche it with thy minde thou receaue it with the hand of thy heart and thou take it fully with thy inwarde man. Thus we see beloued that resortyng to this table we must plucke vp all the rootes of infidelitie al distrust in Gods promises we must make our selues lyuing members of Christes bodye For the vnbeleuers and faithlesse can not feede vpon that pretious body whereas the faythfull haue theyr life their abiding in hym their vnioÌ„ and as it were their incorporation with hym Wherefore let vs proue and trye our selues vufaignedly without flattering our selues whether we be plantes of that fruitful Oliue liuyng braunches of the true vine members in deede of Christes mystical body whether God
yea towardes the image of GOD the excellent creature thyne owne soule If thou haue offended nowe be reconciled If thou hast caused anye to stumble in the waye of God nowe set them vp agayne If thou haue disquieted thy brother nowe pacitie hym If thou haue wronged hym nowe reliefe hym If thou haue defrauded hym nowe restore to hym If thou haue nourished spite nowe embrace frendshippe If thou haue fostred hatred and malice nowe openly shewe thy loue and charitie yea be â—â—este and redye to procure thy neyghbours health of soule wealth commoditie and pleasure as thyne owne Deserue not the heauie and dreadfull burden of Gods displeasure for thyne euyll wyll towardes thy neyghbour so vnreuerentlye to approche to this table of the Lorde Last of all as there is here the mysterie of peace and the Sacrament of Christian societie wherby we vnderstand what sincere loue ought to be betwixt the true communicantes So here be the tokens of purenesse and innocencie of lyfe whereby we maye perceaue that we ought to purge our owne soule from all vncleannesse iniquitie and wickednesse lest when we receaue the mysticall bread as Origen saith we eate it in an vncleane place that is in a soule defiled and polluted with sinne In Moyses lawe the man that dyd eate of the sacrifice of thankesgenyng with his vncleannesse vppon him shoulde be destroyed from his people And shal we thinke that the wicked and sinfull person shal be excurable at the table of the Lord â—e both â—eade in S. Paul that the Churche at Corinth was scourged of the Lorde for misusing the Lordes supper and we maye plainelye see Christes Churche these many yeres miserably vexed and oppressed for the horrible prophanation of the same Wherefore let vs al vniuersall and singuler behold our owne maners and liues to amende them Yea nowe at the least let vs call our selues to an accompt that it may greeue vs of our former euyll conuersation that we may hate sinne that we may sorowe and mourne for our offences that we may with teares powre them out before god that we may with sure trust desire and craue the salue of his mercie bought and purchased with the blood of his dearelye beloued sonne Jesus Christe to heale our deadly woundes withall For surely yf we do not with earnest repentance clense the filthy stomacke of our soule it must needes come to passe that as wholsome meate receaued into a rawe stomacke corrupteth and marreth all and is the cause of further sicknesse so shal we eate this healthsome bread and drinke this cup to our eternall destruction This we and not other must throughly examine and not lyghtly loke ouer our selues not other men our owne conscience not other mens liues whiche we ought to do vpryghtly truely and with iust correction O sayth Chrisostome let no Judas resort to this table let no couetous personne approche If any be a disciple let hym be present For Christe sayth With my disciples I make my Passouer Why cryed the Deacon in the primatiue Church If any be holy let him draw neare Why dyd they celebrate these mysteries the quier doore beyng shut Why were the publique penitentes and learners in religion commaunded at this tyme to auoyde Was it not because this table receaued no vnholye vncleane or sinfull ghestes Wherefore yf seruauntes dare not presume to an earthly maisters table whom they haue offended Let vs take heede we come not with our sinnes vnexamined into this presence of our Lorde iudge If they be worthy blame which kisse the Princes hand with a filthy vncleane mouth shalt thou be blamelesse whiche with a filthy stinking soule ful of couetousnesse fornication drunkennesse pride full of wretched cogitations thoughts doest breath out iniquitie and vncleannesse on the bread and cup of the Lorde Thus haue you heard howe you shoulde come reuerently and decentlye to the table of the Lord hauing the knowledge out of his word of the thing it selfe the fruites thereof bringing a true constant faith the roote and welspring of all newnes of life aswell in praysing God louyng our neighbour as purging our owne conscience from filthines So that neither the ignoraunce of the thing shall cause vs to contempne it nor vnfaithfulnes make vs voyde of fruite nor sinne and iniquitie procure vs Gods plagues but shal by fayth in knowledge and amendement of lyfe in fayth be here so vnited to Christe our head in his mysteries to our comfort that after we shall haue full fruition of him indeede to our euerlasting ioy and eternall lyfe to the which he bryng vs that dyed for vs and redeemed vs Jesus Christe the righteous to whom with the father and the holy ghost one true and eternall God be al prayse honour and dominion for euer Amen An Homilee concerning the comming downe of the holy ghost and the manifolde giftes of the same For Whitsunday BEfore we come to the declaration of the great and manifolde gyftes of the holye ghost wherwith the church of God hath ben euermore replenished it shall first be nedefull briefly to expound vnto you wherof this feaste of Pentecoste or Whitsuntide had his first beginnyng You shall therefore vnderstande that the feast of Pentecoste was alwayes kept the fiftie day after Easter a great solempne feast among the Jewes wherein they dyd celebrate the memoriall of their deliueraunce out of Egypt and also the memoriall of the publishing of the lawe whiche was geuen vnto them in the mount Sinai vpon that day It was fyrst ordeyned and commaunded to be kept holye not by anye mortall man but by the mouth of the Lorde him selfe as we reade in Leuit. 23. Deut. 16. The place appoynted for the obseruation thereof was Hierusalem where was great recourse of people from all partes of the worlde as may well appeare in the second Chapter of the Actes wherein mention is made of Parthians Medes Elamites inhabitours of Mesopotamia inhabitours of Iurie Capadocia Pontus Asia Phrygia Pamphylia diuers other such places whereby we may also partly gather what great and royal solempnitie was commonly vsed in that feast Nowe as this was geuen in coÌ„maundement to the Jewes in the olde lawe so dyd our Sauiour Christe as it were confirme the same in the tyme of the Gospell ordeyning after a sort a newe Pentecost for his disciples namely when he sent downe the holy ghost visiblye in fourme of clouen tongues lyke fyre and gaue them power to speake in such sort that euery one myght heare them and also vnderstand them in his owne language Which miracle that it myght be had in perpetuall remembraunce the Church hath thought good to solemnize and kepe holy this day commonly called Whitsunday And here is to be noted that as the lawe was geuen to the Jewes in the mount Sinai the fiftie day after Easter so was the preaching of the Gospell through the myghtie power of the holy ghost geuen
to the Apostles in the mount Sion the fiftie day after Easter And hereof this feast hath his name to be called Pentecoste euen of the number of the dayes For as Saint Luke writeth in the actes of the Apostles When fiftie dayes were come to an ende the Disciples beyng altogether with one accorde in one place the holy ghost came sodenly among them and sate vpon eche of them lyke as it had ben clouen tongues of fyre Whiche thing was vndoubtedly done to teache the Apostles and all other men that it is he whiche geueth eloquence vtteraunce in preaching the Gospel that it is he which openeth the mouth to declare the mightie workes of God that it is he whiche engendreth a burnyng zeale towardes Goddes worde and geueth all men a tongue yea a fierie tongue so that they may boldly and chearefullye professe the trueth in the face of the whole world as Esai was indued with this spirite The Lord saith Esai gaue me a learned a skilful tongue so that I might knowe to rayse vp them that are fallen with the worde The prophete Dauid cryeth to haue this gyft saying Open thou my lippes O Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse For our sauiour Christe also in the Gospel sayth to his disciples It is not you that speake but the spirite of your father whiche is within you Al whiche testimonies of holy scripture do sufficiently declare that the mysterie in the tongues betokeneth the preachyng of the Gospell and the open confession of the Christian faith in all them that are possessed with the holy ghost So that if any man be a dumbe Christiā not prosessing his fayth openly but clokyng and colouring hym selfe for feare of daunger in tyme to come he geueth men occasion iustly and with good conscience to doubt least he haue not the grace of the holy ghost within hym because he is tongue tied and doth not speake Thus then haue ye hearde the first institution of this feaste of Pentecoste or Whitsuntide aswell in the olde law among the Jewes as also in the tyme of the Gospell among the Christians Nowe let vs consyder what the holy ghost is and howe consequently he worketh his miraculous workes towardes mankind The holy ghost is a spirituall and diuine substaunce the thyrde person in the deitie distincte from the father and the sonne and yet proceedyng from them both which thyng to be true both the Creede of Athanasius beareth witnesse and may be also easilye proued by most playne testimonies of Gods holy worde When Christe was baptized of John in the ryuer Jordan we reade that the holye ghost came downe infourme of a Doue and that the father thundred from heauen saying This is my deare and welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Where note three diuers and distinct persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost which all notwithstandyng are not three Gods but one god Likewyse when Christe dyd fyrste institute and ordeyne the sacrament of baptisme he sent his disciples into the whole world willyng them to baptize al nations in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost And in an other place he sayth I wyll pray vnto my father and he shall geue you another comforter Agayne when the comforter shall come whom I wyll sende from my father c. These and suche other places of the newe Testament do so playnly and euidently confirme the distinction of the holy ghost from the other persons in the trinitie that no man possibly can doubt thereof vnles he will blaspheme the euerlastyng trueth of Gods worde As for his proper nature and substaunce it is altogether one with God the father and God the sonne that is to say spirituall eternall vncreated incomprehensible almyghtie to be short he is euen God Lord euerlastyng Therefore he is called the spirite of the father therefore he is sayde to proceede from the father and the sonne and therefore he was equally ioyned with them in the commission that the Apostles had to baptize al nations But that this may appeare more sensibly to the eyes of all men it shal be requisite to come to the other parte namely to the wonderfull and heauenly workes of the holye ghost whiche playnely declare vnto the worlde his myghtie and diuine power Fyrste it is euident that he did wonderfully gouerne and direct the heartes of the patriarkes and prophetes in olde tyme illuminating their myndes with the knowledge of the true Messias geuing them vtteraunce to prophesie of thynges that shoulde come to passe long tyme after For as saint Peter witnesseth the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the wyll of man But the holye men of God spake as they were moued iuwardly by the holy ghost And of Zacharie the hygh priest it is sayde in the Gospell that he beyng full of the holy ghost prophesied and praysed god So dyd also Simeon Anna Marie and diuers other to the great wonder and admiration of all men Moreouer was not the holy ghost a mightie worker in the conception and the natiuitie of Christe our sauiour Saint Matthewe sayth that the blessed virgin was founde with chylde of the holy ghost before Joseph and she came together And the Angell Gabriell dyd expreslye tell her that it shoulde so come to passe saying The holy ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the most hygh shall ouershadowe thee A marueylous matter that a woman shoulde conceaue and beare a chylde without the knowledge of man But where the holy ghoste worketh there nothyng is vnpossible as maye further also appeare by the inwarde regeneration and sanctification of mankynde When Christe sayde to Nicodemus vnlesse a man be borne a newe of water and the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God he was greatly amazed in his mynde and began to reason with Christe demaundyng howe a man myght be borne whiche was olde Can he enter sayth he into his mothers wombe agayn and so be borne a newe Beholde a liuely paterne of a fleshely and carnall man He had litle or no intelligence of the holy ghost and therefore he goeth bluntly to worke and asketh howe this thyng were possible to be true Whereas otherwyse yf he had knowne the great power of the holye ghost in this behalfe that it is he whiche in wardlye worketh the regeneration and newe byrth of mankynde he woulde neuer haue marueyled at Christes wordes but woulde haue rather taken occasion thereby to prayse and glorifie god For as there are three seuerall and sundrye persons in the deitie So haue they three seuerall and sundrye offices proper vnto eache of them The father to create the sonne to redeeme the holy ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Wherof the last the more it is hidde from our vnderstandyng the more it ought to moue all men to wonder at the secrete and mightie workyng of Gods holy spirite whiche
because it is necessarie profitable shall God wylling be dissolued in the next part of this Homilee In the meane season let vs as we are most bounde geue heartie thankes to God the father and his sonne Jesus Christ for sendyng downe this comforter into the world humbly beseeching him so to worke in our heartes by the power of this holy spirite that we beyng regenerate and newely borne agayne in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobrietie and trueth may in the end be made partakers of euerlastyng lyfe in his heauenly kyngdome through Jesus Christe our Lorde and sauiour Amen The seconde part of the Homilee concernyng the holy ghoste dissoluing this doubt whether al men rightly chalenge to them selues the holy ghost or no. OUR sauiour Christe departyng out of the worlde vnto his father promised his disciples to sende downe another comforter that shoulde continue with thē for euer direct them into al trueth Which thyng to be faythfully truely perfourmed the scriptures do sufficiently beare witnes Neither must we thinke that this comforter was either promised or els geuen onlye to the Apostles but also to the vniuersall Church of Christe dispearsed through the whole world For vnles the holy ghost had ben alwaies present gouernyng and preseruing the Churche from the begynnyng it coulde neuer haue sustayned so many and great bruntes of affliction and persecution with so litle dammage and harme as it hath And the wordes of Christe are moste playne in this behalfe saying that the spirite of trueth shoulde abyde with them for euer that he woulde be with them alwayes he meaneth by grace vertue and power euen to the worldes ende Also in the prayer that he made to his father a litle before his death he maketh intercession not only for him selfe and his apostles but indifferently for all them that shoulde beleue in hym through their wordes that is to wit for his whole Churche Agayne saint Paule sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is not his Also in the wordes folowyng We haue receaued the spirit of adoption wherby we crye abba father Hereby then it is euident and playne to all men that the holy ghost was geuen not onlye to the apostles but also to the whole body of christes congregation although not in lyke fourme maiestie as he came downe at the feaste of Pentecost But nowe herein standeth the controuersie Whether al men do iustly arrogate to thē selues the holy ghost or no The Byshops of Rome haue for a long tyme made a sore chalenge therunto reasoning for them seues after this sort The holy ghost say they was promised to the Churche and neuer forsaketh the Church But we are the cheefe heades the principall part of the Churche therefore we haue the holy ghost for euer whatsoeuer thynges we decree are vndoubted verities and oracles of the holy ghost That ye may perceaue the weakenes of this argument it is needfull to teach you first what the true Churche of Christe is and then to conferre the Churche of Rome therewith to discerne howe well they agree together The true Churche is an vniuersal congregation or felowship of Gods faythfull and elect people buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christe hym selfe beyng the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or marks wherby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine the sacramentes ministred accordyng to Christes holy institution and the right vse of ecclesiastical discipline This description of the Churche is agreeable both to the scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the auncient fathers so that none may iustly fynd fault therewith Now if ye wyll compare this with the Churche of Rome not as it was in the begynnnyg but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeres and odde you shall well perceaue the state thereof to be so farre wide from the nature of the true Churche that nothing can be more For neyther are they buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophetes retaynyng the sound and pure doctrine of Christe Jesu neyther yet do they order eyther the sacraments or els the ecclesiasticall keyes in such sort as he dyd first institute and ordeyne them But haue so intermyngled their owne traditions and inuentions by choppyng chaungyng by addyng and pluckyng away that now they may seeme to be conuerted into a new guyse Christe commended to his Church a sacrament of his body and blood They haue changed it into a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade Christ dyd minister to his apostles the apostles to other men indifferently vnder both kindes They haue robbed the lay people of the cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ ordeyned no other element to be vsed in baptisme but only water wherunto when the word is ioyned it is made as S. Augustine saith a ful perfect sacrament They beyng wyser in their owne conceipte then Christ thinke it is not wel nor orderly done vnles they vse cōiuration vnles they halow the water vnles there be oyle salt spittle tapers and suche other dumbe ceremonies seruing to no vse contrary to the playne rule of S. Paul who wylleth all thynges to be done in the Churche vnto edification Christe ordeyned the aucthoritie of the keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolue them whiche are truely penitent They abuse this power at their owne pleasure aswell in cursyng the godly with bell booke and candles as also in absoluing the reprobate whiche are knowne to be vnworthy of any Christian societie Whereof he that lust to see examples let them searche their lyues To be shorte looke what our sauiour Christe pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospell the same may we boldly and with safe conscience pronounce of the bishops of Rome namely that they haue forsaken dayly do forsake the commaundementes of God to erect set vp their owne constitutions Which thyng beyng true as al they which haue any light of Gods word must needes confesse we may wel conclude according to the rule of Augustine That the byshoppes of Rome their adherents are not the true church of Christe muche lesse then to be taken as cheefe heades and rulers of the same Whosoeuer sayth he do discent from the scriptures concernyng the head although they be found in al places where the Church is appoynted yet are they not in the Churche A playne place concluding directly agaynst the Churche of Rome Where is now the holy ghost whiche they so stoutly do clayme to them selues Where is now the spirite of trueth that wil not suffer them in any wise to erre If it be possible to be there where the true Churche is not then is it at Rome otherwyse it is but a vayne bragge and nothyng els Saint Paule as ye haue hearde before sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of
Christe the same is not his And by turnyng the wordes it maye be as truely sayd If any man be not of Christe the same hath not his spirite Nowe to discerne who are truely his and who not we haue this rule geuen vs that his sheepe do alwayes heare his voyce And saint John sayth He that is of God heareth Gods worde Whereof it foloweth that the popes in not hearing Christes voyce as they ought to do but preferring their owne decrees before the expresse worde of God do playnely argue to the worlde that they are not of Christe nor yet possessed with his spirite But here they wyll alleage for them selues that there are diuers necessarie poyntes not expressed in holy scripture whiche were left to the reuelation of the holy ghost Who beyng geuen to the Churche accordyng to Christes promise hath taught many thynges from tyme to tyme which the apostles coulde not then beare To this we may easily aunswere by the playne wordes of Christe teachyng vs that the proper office of the holy ghoste is not to institute and bring in newe ordinaunces contrary to his doctrine before taught but to expound declare those thynges whiche he had before taught so that they might be wel truely vnderstode When the holy ghost sayth he shall come he shall leade you into all trueth What trueth doth he meane Any other then he him self had before expressed in his word No. For he sayth He shal take of myne and shew it vnto you Agayne he shall bryng you in remembraunce of all thynges that I haue tolde you it is not then the duetie and part of any christian vnder pretence of the holy ghost to bryng in his owne dreames and phantasies into the Churche but he must diligently prouide that his doctrine decrees be agreeable to Christes holye testament Otherwise in making the holy ghost the aucthour thereof he doth blaspheme and belye the holy ghost to his owne condempnation Now to leaue their doctrine and come to other poyntes What shall we thynke or iudge of the popes intollerable pryde The scripture sayth that God resisteth the proude and sheweth grace to the humble Also it pronounceth them blessed which are poore in spirite promising that they which humble them selues shal be exalted And Christe our sauiour wylieth all his to learne of hym because he is humble and meeke As for pryde saint Gregorie sayth it is the roote of all mischeefe And saint Augustines iudgement is this that it maketh men deuilles Can any man then whiche eyther hath or shall reade the popes lyues iustly say that they had the holy ghoste within them First as touching that they wil be tearmed vniuersall byshoppes and heades of all Christian Churches through the world we haue the iudgement of Gregory expresly against them who wrytyng to Maritius the Emperour condemneth John bishop of Constantinople in that behalfe calling him the prince of pryde Lucifers successour and the forerunner of Antechriste Saint Barnarde also agreeing thereunto sayth What greater pride can there be then that one man should preferre his owne iudgement before the whole congregation as though he onlye had the spirite of God And Chrisostome pronounceth a terrible sentence agaynst them affyrming playnly that whosoeuer seeketh to be cheefe in earth shall finde confusion in heauen and that he whiche striueth for the supremacie shall not be reputed among the seruauntes of Christe Agayne he sayth To desire a good worke it is good but to couet the cheefe degree of honour it is mere vanitie Do not these places sufficiently conuince their outragious pride in vsurping to them selues a superioritie aboue all other aswell ministers and byshops as kynges also and Emperours But as the Lion is knowne by his clawes so let vs learne to knowe these men by their deedes What shall we say of hym that made the noble kyng Dandalus to be tyed by the necke with a chayne and to lye flat downe before his table there to gnaw bones lyke a dogge Shal we thynke that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuil Such a tyraunt was pope Clement the sixt What shall we say of hym that proudly and contemptuously trode Fredericke the Emperour vnder his feete applying the vearse of the Psalme vnto him selfe Thou shalt go vpon the Lion and the Adder the young Lion the Dragon thou shalt tread vnder thy foote Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Alexander the thirde What shall we say of him that armed and animated the sonne against the father causing him to be taken to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the law both God and also of nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Pascall the seconde What shall we saye of hym that came into his popedome lyke a foxe that raigned lyke a Lion and dyed lyke a dogge Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Boniface the eyght What shall we say of hym that made Henrye the Emperour with his wyfe and his young childe to stande at the gates of the Citie in the rough winter bare footed and bare legged only clothed in lincie wolâ—ie eatyng nothyng from mornyng to nyght and that for the space of three dayes Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Hildebrande moste worthy to be called a fyrebrand if we shal tearme him as he hath best deserued Many other examples might here be alleaged As of pope Jone the harlot that was delyuered of a chylde in the hygh streate goyng solempnly in procession Of pope Iulius the seconde that wilfully cast Saint Peters keyes into the ryuer Tiberis Ofpope Vrban the sixte that caused fiue Cardinals to be put in sackes and cruelly drowned Of pope Sergius the thirde that persecuted the dead bodye of Formosius his predecessour when it had ben buried eight yeres Of Pope John the. xiiii of that name who hauing his enemy deliuered into his handes caused him first to be stripped starke naked his beard to be shauen and to be hanged vp a whole day by the heere then to be set vpon an Asse with his face backward towardes the taile to be caryed round about the Citie in dispite to be miserablye beaten with roddes laste of all to be thrust out of his countrye and to be banished for euer But to conclude and make an ende ye shall breefly take this shorte lesson Wheresoeuer ye fynde the spirite of arrogancye and pryde the spirite of enuye hatred contention crueltie murder extortion witchcraft necromancie c. Assure your selues that there is the spirite of the
to towne from place to place without punishment which neyther serue God nor their prince but deuoure the sweete fruites of other mens labour being common liers drunkardes swearers theeues whoremaisters and murtherers refusing all honest labour and geue them selues to nothyng els but to inuent and do mischeefe whereof they are more desyrous and greedy then is any Lion of his pray To remedy this inconueniencie let al parentes others whiche haue the care and gouernance of youth so bring them vp eyther in good learnyng labour or some honest occupation or trade whereby they may be able in time to come not only to sustaine them selues competently but also to relieue and supplie the necessitie and want of others And saint Paul sayth Let hym that hath stolen steale no more and he that hath deceaued others or vsed vnlawful wayes to get his liuing leaue of the same labour rather workyng with his handes that thing whiche is good that he may haue that which is necessarie for hym selfe and also be able to geue vnto others that stande in neede of his helpe The prophet Dauid thinketh him happy that liueth vpon his labour saying When thou eatest the labours of thyne handes happy art thou and wel is thee This happines or blessing consisteth in these such like pointes First it is the gyft of God as Salomon sayth when one eateth and drinketh and receaueth good of his labour Secondaryly when one liueth of his owne labour so it be honest good he liueth of it with a good conscience And an vpryght conscience is a treasure inestimable Thirdly he eateth his bread not with brawling and chiding but with peace and quietnes when he quietly laboureth for the same accordyng to saint Paules admonition Fourthly he is no mans bondman for his meate sake nor needeth not for that to hang vpon the good wyll of other men but so liueth of his owne that he is able to geue part to others And to conclude the labouryng man and his familie whyles they are busilie occupied in their labour be free from many temptations and occasions of sinne which they that liue in idlenesse are subiect vnto And here ought Artificers and Labouring men who be at wages for their worke and labour to consyder theyr conscience to God and theyr duetie to their neighbour least they abuse their tyme in idlenesse so defraudyng them whiche be at charge both with great wages and deare commons They be worse then idle men in deede for that they seeke to haue wages for their loytring It is lesse daunger to God to be idle for no gayne then by idlenes to win out of theyr neyghbours purses wages for that which is not deserued It is true that almyghtie God is angry with suche as do defraude the hyred man of his wages The crie of that iniurie ascendeth vp to Gods eare for vengeaunce And as true it is that the hyred man who vseth deceipt in his labour is a theefe before god Let no man sayth saint Paul to the Thessalonians subtilly beguile his brother let him not defraud him in his busines For the lord is reuenger of suche deceiptes Wherevppon he that wyll haue a good conscience to God that labouring man I say which dependeth wholye vpon Gods benediction ministring all thynges sufficient for his liuing let hym vse his tyme in faythful labour and when his labour by sicknes or other misfortune doth ceasse yet let him think for that in his health he serued GOD and his neyghbour truely he shall not want in tyme of necessitie God vppon respect of his fidelitie in health wyll recompence his indigence to moue the heartes of good men to relieue suche decayed men in sicknesse Where otherwyse whatsoeuer is gotten by idlenesse shall haue no foyson to helpe in tyme of neede Let the labouryng man therfore eschew for his part this vice of idlenesse and deceipt remembring that saint Paul exhorteth euery man to lay away al deceipt dissimulation and lying and to vse trueth plainenesse to his neyghbour because sayth he we be members together in one body vnder one head Christ our sauiour And here myght be charged the seruing men of this Realme who spend their tyme in much idlenesse of life nothyng regardyng the oportunitie of their time forgetting how seruice is no heritage howe age will creepe vpon them where wysdome were they should expende theyr idle time in some good businesse whereby they myght increase in knowledge so the more worthy to be readye for euery mans seruice It is a great rebuke to them that they studie not eyther to write fayre to kepe a booke of accompt to studie the tongues and so to get wysdome knowledge in suche bookes and workes as be nowe plentifully set out in print of all maner languages Let young men consyder the pretious value of their time and wast it not in idlenesse in iolitie in gaming in banqueting in ruffians company Youth is but vanitie and must be accompted for before god Howe mery and glad soeuer thou be in thy youth O young man sayth the preacher how glad soeuer thy heartbe in thy young dayes how fast and freely soeuer thou folowe the waies of thine owne heart and the lust of thyne owne eyes yet be thou sure that God shal bring thee into iudgement for al these thinges God of his mercie put it into the heartes mindes of all them that haue the sworde of punishment in their hands or haue families vnder their gouernance to labour to redres this great enormitie of al such as liue idelly and vnprofitably in the cōmon weale to the great dishonour of God the greeuous plague of his seely people To leaue sinne vnpunished and to neglect the good bryngyng vp of youth is nothyng els but to kindle the Lordes wrath agaynst vs and to heape plagues vpon our owne heades As long as the adulterous people were suffered to liue licenciously without reformation so long dyd the plague continue and increase in Israel as ye may see in the booke of Numbers But when due correction was done vpon them the Lordes anger was straightway pacified and the plague ceassed Let al officers therefore loke straightly to their charge Let all maisters of housholdes refourme this abuse in their families Let them vse the aucthoritie that God hath geuen them Let them not mainteyne vagaboundes and idle persons but deliuer the Realme and their householdes from suche noysome loyterers that idlenesse the mother of al mischeefe being cleane taken away almyghtie God may turne his dreadful anger away from vs cōfirme the couenant of peace vpon vs for euer through the merites of Jesus Christ our only Lord sauiour to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory worlde without ende Amen An Homilee of repentaunce and of true reconciliation vnto God. THere is nothing that the holy ghost doth so much labour in all the scriptures to beate into
the bottome of our heartes detest and abhorre with all earnestnesse flee from it syth that it dyd cost the deare heart blood of the onlye begotten sonne of God our sauiour redeemer to purge vs from it Plato doth in a certayne place wryte that if vertue coulde be seene with bodily eyes all men woulde wonderfully be enflamed and kyndeled with the loue of it Euen so on the contrary if we myght with our bodily eyes beholde the filthynesse of synne and the vncleannes therof we coulde in no wyse abyde it but as most present and deadly poyson hate and eschewe it We haue a common experience of the same in them which when they haue committed any heynous offence or some filthy and abhominable synne if it once come to lyght or if they chaunce to haue a through feelyng of it they be so ashamed their owne conscience puttyng before their eyes the filthynes of their acte that they dare looke no man in the face muche lesse that they shoulde be able to stande in the syght of God. Fourthly the vncertayntie and brittlenesse of our owne lyues whiche is such that we can not assure our selues that we shall lyue one houre or one halfe quarter of it Whiche by experience we do fynde daily to be true in them that beyng nowe mery and lustye and sometymes feastyng and banquettyng with their freendes do fall sodenly dead in the streetes and otherwhyles vnder the boarde when they are yet at meate These daily examples as they are moste terrible and dreadfull so ought they to moue vs to seeke for to be at one with our heauenlye iudge that we may with a good conscience appeare before hym whensoeuer it shal please him for to cal vs whether it be sodaynly or otherwyse for we haue no more charter of our lyfe then they haue But as we are moste certayne that we shall dye so are we most vncertayne when we shal dye For our lyfe doth lye in the hande of God who wyll take it away when it pleaseth hym And veryly when the hyghest somner of all which is death shall come he wyll not be sayde nay but we must foorth with be packyng to be present before the iudgement seate of God as he doth fynde vs accordyng as it is wrytten Wheras the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or towarde the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy martyr of God S. Ciprian saying As God doth fynde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee Let vs therefore folowe the counsayle of the wyse man where he sayth Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day For sodenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake foorth and in thy securitie shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perishe in tyme of vengeaunce Whiche wordes I desyre you to marke diligently because they do most lyuely put before our eyes the fondnesse of manye men whiche abusyng the long sufferyng and goodnes of God do neuer thynke on repentaunce or amendement of lyfe Folowe not sayth he thyne owne mynde and thy strength to walke in the wayes of thy heart neyther say thou who wyll bryng me vnder for my workes For God the reuenger wyll reuenge the wrong done by thee And saye not I haue synned and what euyll hath come vnto me For the almyghtie is a patient rewarder but he wyll not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy synnes are forgeuen thee be not without feare to heape sin vpon synne Say not neyther The mercie of god is great he wil forgeue my manifold sinnes For mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon vnrepentant synners As if he should say Art thou strong and myghtie Art thou lustye and young Haste thou the wealth and ryches of the worlde Or when thou hast synned hast thou receaued no punishment for it Let none of all these thynges make thee to be the slower to repent and to returne with speede vnto the Lorde For in the day of punishment and of his sodayne vengeaunce they shall not be able to helpe thee And speciallye when thou art eyther by the preaching of Gods worde or by some inwarde motion of his holy spirite or els by some other meanes called vnto repentaunce neglect not the good occasion that is ministred vnto thee least when thou wouldest repent thou hast not the grace for to do it For to repent is a good gyft of God which he wyll neuer graunt vnto them whiche lyuyng in carnal securitie do make a mocke of his threatnynges or seeke to rule his spirites as they list as though his workyng gyftes were tyed vnto their wyll Fifthly the auoydyng of the plagues of God and the vtter destructiō that by his ryghteous iudgement doth hang ouer the heades of them all that will in no wyse returne vnto the Lorde I wyll saith the Lorde geue them for a terrible plague to all the kyngdomes of the earth and for a reproche and for aprouerbe and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and wyll send the sworde of famine the pestilence among them tyll they be consumed out of the land And wherfore is this Because they hardned their heartes and woulde in no wyse returne from their euyll wayes nor yet forsake the wyckednesse that was in their owne handes that the fiercenesse of the Lordes furie myght departe from them But yet this is nothing in comparison of the intollerable and endlesse tormentes of hell fyre whiche they shal be fayne to suffer who after their hardnesse of heart that can not repent do heape vnto them selues wrath against the day of anger and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Wheras if we wyll repent and be earnestly sory for our synnes and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto the mercie of our god and taking sure holde thereuppon through fayth in our sauiour Jesus Christe do bring foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce he wyll not onlye powre his manifold blessynges vpon vs here in this world but also at the last after the paynefull trauayles of this lyfe rewarde vs with the inheritaunce of his chyldren whiche is the kyngdome of heauen purchased vnto vs with the death of his sonne Jesu Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all prayse glory and honour worlde without ende Amen ⧠An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylful rebellion The fyrst parte AS GOD the creatour and Lord of al thynges appoynted his angels and heauenly creatures in all obedience to serue and to honour his maiestie so was it his wyl that man his cheefe creature vpon the earth shoulde lyue vnder the obedience of his creator and Lord and for that cause God assoone as he had created man gaue vnto him a certayne precept and law whiche he beyng yet in the state of innocencie remaynyng in paradise shoulde obserue as a pledge and
prayer to GOD for so gratious a Soueraigne but also them selues take armour wickedly assemble companies and bandes of rebels to breake the publique peace so long continued and to make not warre but rebellion to endaunger the person of suche a gratious Soueraigne to hazarde the estate of theyr countrey for whose defence they should be redye to spend their liues and beyng Englishemen to robbe spoyle destroy and burne in Englande Englishemen to kyll and murther theyr owne neyghbours and kinsfolke theyr owne countreymen to do all euill and mischeefe yea and more to then forraigne enemies woulde or coulde do What shall we say of these men who vse them selues thus rebelliously agaynst theyr gratious Soueraigne Who yf GOD for their wickednesse had geuen them an heathen tyrant to raigne ouer them were by Gods word bound to obey him and to pray for him What maye be spoken of them so farre doth their vnkindnes vnnaturalnesse wickednesse mischeuousnesse in their doynges passe and excel any thing and all thinges that can be expressed or vttered by wordes Onlye let vs wishe vnto all suche moste speedie repentaunce and with so greeuous sorowe of heart as such so horrible sinnes against the maiestie of God do require who in most extreme vnthankfulnesse do ryse not only agaynst theyr gratious prince agaynst theyr naturall countrey but agaynst all theyr countreymen women and chyldren against them selues theyr wiues children and kinsfolkes and by so wicked an example agaynst all Christendome and agaynst whole mankynde of all maner of people throughout the wide worlde suche repentaunce I say suche sorowe of heart GOD graunt vnto all suche whosoeuer ryse of priuate and malitious purpose as is meete for suche mischeeues attempted and wrought by them And vnto vs and all other subiectes God of his mercie graunt that we may be moste vnlyke to all such and most like to good naturall louyng and obedient subiectes nay that we maye be suche in deede not onlye shewyng all obedience ourselues but as manye of vs as be able to the vttermost of our power habilitie and vnderstandyng to staye and represse all rebels and rebellions agaynst God our gratious prince and naturall countrey at euery occasion that is offered vnto vs And that which we all are able to do vnlesse we do it we shal be most wicked and most worthie to feele in the ende suche extreme plagues as GOD hath euer powred vppon rebels Let vs all make continuall prayers vnto almyghtie God euen from the bottome of our heartes that he wyll geue his grace power and strength vnto our gratious Queene Elizabeth to vanquishe and subdue all aswell rebelles at home as forraigne enemies that all domesticall rebellions beyng suppressed and pacified and all outwarde inuasions repulled and abandoned we may not onlye be sure and long continue in all obedience vnto our gratious Soueraigne and in that peaceable and quiet lyfe which hytherto we haue led vnder her Maiestie with all securitie but also that both our gratious Queene Elizabeth and we her subiectes may altogether in al obedience vnto God the kyng of all kynges and vnto his holy lawes leade our liues so in this worlde in all vertue and godlinesse that in the worlde to come we maye enioy his euerlastyng kyngdome whiche I beseche God to graunt aswel to our gratious Soueraigne as vnto vs all for his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christes sake to whom with the father and the holye ghost one God and kyng immortall be all glory prayse and thankes geuing worlde without ende Amen Thus haue you heard the first part of this Homilee nowe good people let vs pray ¶ The prayer O Most mightie God the Lorde of hoastes the gouernour of all creatures the onlye geuer of all victories who alone art able to strengthen the weake agaynst the myghtie and to vanquishe infinite multitudes of thyne enemies with the countenaunce of a fewe of thy seruauntes calling vppon thy name and trusting in thee Defend O Lorde thy seruaunt and our gouernour vnder thee our Queene Elizabeth and all thy people committed to her charge O Lorde withstande the crueltie of all those whiche be common enemies aswell to the trueth of thy eternall worde as to their owne naturall Prince and countrye and manifestlye to this crowne and Realme of Englande whiche thou haste of thy diuine prouidence assigned in these our dayes to the gouernment of thy seruaunt our Soueraigne and gratious Queene O moste mercifull father if it be thy holye will make soft and tender the stony heartes of al those that exalte themselues agaynst thy trueth and seeke eyther to trouble the quyet of this realme of England or to oppresse the crowne of the same and conuert them to the knowledge of thy sonne the onely sauiour of the world Jesus Christ that we and they maye ioyntlye glorifie thy mercies Lyghten we besech thee their ignoraunt hearts to imbrace the trueth of thy worde or els so abate their crueltie O most mightie Lorde that this our Christian region with others that confesse thy holy Gospell maye obteine by thine aide and strength suretie from all enemies without shedding of christian blood wherby al they which be oppressed with their tyranny may be releeued and they which be in feare of their crueltie maye be comforted finally that all christian realmes and specially this realme of England may by thy defence and protection continue in the trueth of the Gospel and enioy perfect peace quietnes and securitie and that we for these thy mercies ioyntly altogether with one consonant hart and voice may thankfully render to thee al laud and praise that we knit in one godlye concorde and vnitie amongst our selues may continuallye magnifie thy glorious name who with thy sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ and the holy ghost art one eternall almyghtye and moste mercifull God To whom be all laude and prayse worlde without ende Amen ¶ The second parte of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wilfull Rebellion AS in the fyrste parte of this treatie of obedience of subiectes to their Princes against disobedience and rebellion I haue alleaged diuers sentences out of the holye scriptures for proofe so shal it be good for the better declaration and confirmation of the sayd holsome doctrine to alleage one example or two out of the same holy scriptures of the obedience of subiects not onelye vnto their good and gratious gouernours but also vnto their euill and vnkynd princes As king Saul was not of the beste but rather of the worst sort of Princes as beyng out of Gods fauour for his disobedience agaynst God in sparyng in a wrong pitie the kyng Agag whom almyghtye God commaunded to be stayne accordyng to the iustice of God against his sworne enemie and although Saule of a deuotion ment to sacrifice such thinges as he spared of the Amalechites to the honor and seruice of God yet Saul was reproued for his wrong mercy and deuotiō and was tolde that obedience woulde haue more pleased him
dominions and kyngdomes sometime possessed by Christians in Asia Africa and Europa the miserable fall of the Empyre and Church of Grece sometime the moste florishyng part of Christendome into the handes of Turkes the lamentable diminishing decay and ruine of Christian religion the dreadfull encrease of Paganitie and power of the Infidelles and miscreantes and al by the practise and procurement of the Byshop of Rome cheefely is in the histories and chronicles written by the Byshop of Romes owne fauourers and frendes to be seene and is well knowen vnto all suche as are acquainted with the saide histories The ambitious intent and most subtill driftes of the Byshops of Rome in these their practises appeared euidently by their bolde attempt in spoyling and robbing the Emperours of their Townes Cities Dominions kingdomes in Italie Lumbardie Cicilie of auncient right belonging vnto the Empyre by the ioyning of them vnto their Byshoprike of Rome or els geuing them vnto straungers to holde them of the Churche Byshops of Rome as in capite and as of the cheefe lordes thereof in whiche tenure they holde the most part therof euen at this day By these ambitious in deede trayterous meanes and spoylyng of their soueraigne lordes the Byshops of Rome of Priestes and none other by right then the Bishops of one citie and diocesse are by false vsurpation become great lordes of many dominions myghtie Princes yea or Emperours rather as claymyng to haue diuers princes and kinges to their vassals liege men and subiectes as in the same histories written by their owne familiers and courtiers is to be seene And in deede since the tyme that the Byshops of Rome by ambition treason vsurpation atcheued and atteined to this height and greatnesse they behaued them selues more lyke princes kinges Emperours in al things then remained like priestes bishops and ecclesiastical or as they would be called spirituall persons in any one thing at al. For after this rate they haue handled other kings princes of other Realmes throughout Christendome as well as theyr Soueraigne lordes the Emperours vsually dischargyng their subiectes of their othe of fidelitie and so stirring them vp to rebellion against their naturall princes whereof some examples shall in the last part hereof be notified vnto you Wherefore let al good subiectes knowing these the speciall instrumentes and ministers of the deuil to the stirring vp of al rebellions auoyde and flee them the pestilent suggestions of such forraigne vsurpers and their adherentes and embrace al obedience to God and their naturall princes and Soueraignes that they may enioy gods blessinges and their princes fauour in all peace quietnes securitie in this worlde and finally attaine through Christ our sauiour lyfe euerlasting in the world to come which God the father for the same our sauiour Jesus Christ his sake graunt vnto vs al to whō with the holy ghost be al honour glory world without ende Amen Thus haue you heard the sixt part of this Homilee now good people let vs pray The prayer as before The sixt and last part of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion NOw whereas the iniuries oppressions rauenie and tyrannie of the bishop of Rome vsurping aswell agaynst their natural lords the Emperours as against al other Christian kinges and kingdomes and their continual stirring of subiectes vnto rebellions agaynst theyr soueraigne lordes whereof I haue partlye admonished you before were intollerable and it may seeme more then maruell that any subiectes woulde after suche sorte holde with vnnaturall forraigne vsurpers agaynst theyr owne soueraigne lordes and naturall countrey It remayneth that I do declare the meane whereby they compassed these matters and so to conclude this whole treatie of due obedience and agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion You shall vnderstande that by ignoraunce of Gods worde wherein they kept all men speciallye the common people they wrought brought to passe all these thinges makyng them beleue that all they sayde was true all that they dyd was good and godlye and that to holde with them in all thinges agaynst father mother prince countrey and all men was most meritorious And in deede what mischeefe wyll not blinde ignoraunce leade simple men vnto By ignoraunce the Juishe Cleargie induced the common people to aske the deliuerie of Barabbas the seditious murtherer to sue for the cruell crucifiyng of our sauiour Christe for that he rebuked the ambition suberstion and other vices of the hie priestes and cleargie For as our sauiour Christe testifieth that those who crucified hym wyst not what they dyd so doth the holy apostle saint Paul say If they had knowen yf they had not ben ignoraunt they woulde neuer haue crucified the Lorde of glory but they knew not what they dyd Our sauiour Christ him selfe also foreshewed that it shoulde come to passe by ignoraunce that those who should persecute and murther his true apostles and disciples shoulde thinke they dyd God acceptable sacrifice good seruice as it also is verified euen at this day And in this ignoraunce haue the Byshoppes of Rome kept the people of God specially the common sorte by no meanes so muche as by withdrawyng of the word of God from them and by keping it vnder the vale of an vnknowen straunge tongue For as it serued the ambitious humour of the Byshops of Rome to compell all nations to vse the natural language of the citie of Rome where they were Byshops whiche shewed a certayne acknowledging of subiection vnto them so yet serued it muche more their craftie purpose thereby to keepe all people so blinde that they not knowyng what they prayed what they beleued what they were commaunded by God myght take all their commaundementes for Gods. For as they woulde not suffer the holy scriptures or Churche seruice to be vsed or had in any other language then the latine so were verye fewe euen of the moste simple people taught the Lordes prayer the articles of the fayth and the ten commaundementes otherwyse then in latine whiche they vnsterstoode not by whiche vniuersal ignorance al men were redy to beleue whatsoeuer they sayd to do whatsoeuer they commaunded For to imitate the apostles phrase If the Emperours subiectes had knowen out of Gods worde their duetie to their prince they would not haue suffered the Byshop of Rome to perswade them to forsake their Soueraigne lord the Emperour against their othe of fidelitie and to rebel against him only for that he cast images vnto the which idolatrie was committed out of the Churches which the Byshop of Rome bare them in hande to be heresie If they had knowen of Gods word but asmuch as the ten commaundementes they should haue founde that the Byshop of Rome was not onlye a traytour to the Emperour his liege Lorde but to God also and an horrible blasphemer of his maiestie in calling his holy worde and commaundement heresye and that which the Byshop of